Facebook: A Haven for Migrant Smugglers
The Underground Travel Agent
As social
media continues to grow and become more accessible, traffickers have begun to
utilise the sites as secret travel agents for those seeking a way into Europe.
An analysis
compiled by security experts for EU policy makers “confirms that social
media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are widely used to share
information on how to enter the EU illegally.”
dailymail.co.uk
By setting
up members-only accounts and pages, sites like Facebook offer criminal
organisations a free and confidential means of reaching prospective ‘clients’.
The pages not only outline costs and fees for travel to most European countries,
but also offer advice on secure payments and avoiding detection once in Europe.
The figures
quoted on some of these Facebook pages are truly staggering, with a spot on a
small inflatable dinghy costing around 2000 Euros. Spaces on larger carriers
can go for upwards of 8000 Euros. Due to the money involved and the seemingly
unending market, it’s easy to see how such prospects can be appealing to
criminal organisations.
Turkey seems
to be a hotspot for this kind of activity, primarily due to its close proximity
to Eastern Europe, Greece and Bulgaria. The Mediterranean and the Black Sea essentially
serve as highways into Europe. With global tensions and instability on the
rise, high levels of immigrants are also reported to be departing from African countries
such as Libya and Egypt.
Although
these pages bare many similarities it has been difficult for prosecutors to
link them to each other, thus making any attempt at large scale interventions
and arrests a difficult process. Shutting down one page would, after all, have
little impact on the issue as a whole.
As immigration
becomes an issue at the forefront of politics in the build up to the election,
the government is increasing efforts to combat these organisations. This is
forcing them into ever more ingenious approaches, often taking advantages of
international laws on human rights to gain access to European countries. One
method recently employed is to stage a search-and-rescue operation: When
migrant vessels are detected by the coast guard they shut off all engines and throw
the motors overboard, allowing the vessel to drift freely at sea. This forces
authorities to provide assistance and drag them to European shores.
dougsaunders.net
Around
170,000 migrants were rescued from the Mediterranean last year, but thousands more
either died or are still missing to this day. So whatever you personal opinion on immigration laws, these organisations are endangering lives and action must be taken.
Sam is an aspiring novelist with a passion for fantasy and crime thrillers. Currently working part time as a content writer, he hopes to one day drop that 'aspiring' prefix. Follow him @SamAtSMF
Contact us on Twitter, on Facebook, or leave your comments below. To find out about social media training or management why not take a look at our website for more info http://socialmediacambridge.co.uk/.
Facebook: A Haven for Migrant Smugglers
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Rating:
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Rating:
Unknown
Keeping you up to date on social media, digital marketing, apps, news & reviews. Social media, and digital marketing as a whole, are rapidly and constantly changing, adapting to new developments at an ever increasing rate. Just keeping up to date can be a nightmare. Our team of writers know their field, and keep an ear to the ground. We aim to keep you informed of all recent developments in the online world, and teach you a little something along the way. So whether you just want to stay connected, or gain some knowledge for yourself, the Social Songbird will keep on singing! More articles are posted every day so keep checking back! Join the discussion on Twitter - #SocialSongbird Or contact us directly - @SocialSongbird_
Entrepreneur, international speaker on Social Media Marketing. First one in the UK to write and speak in conferences about Twitter as a marketing tool. Consultant to Corporate Companies, Government Organizations, Marketing Managers and Business Owners.
Aspiring novelist with a passion for fantasy and crime thrillers. He hopes to one day drop that 'aspiring' prefix. He started as a writer and soon after he was made Executive Editor and Manager of the team at Social Songbird. A position he held for 5 years.
Adrienne is a passionate writer with experience in editing, content creation, and social media marketing. She’s a lover of animals, helping others improve their writing, and 2000s pop culture.
Musician, audio technician, professional tutor and a Cambridge university English student. Interested in writing, politics and obsessed with reading.
Recently graduated with a BA in English Literature from the University of Exeter, and he is about to study an MA in Journalism at the University of Sheffield. He is an aspiring journalist and novelist; in his free time he enjoys playing chess, listening to music and taking long walks through nature.
Lucy is an undergraduate BSc Politics and International Relations student at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Anna Coopey is a 4th year UG student in Classics at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She is a keen writer and researcher on a number of topics, varying from Modern Greek literature to revolutionary theory.
Ellie is a recent BA English Literature graduate and aspiring publisher with a passion for writing. Her favourite pastimes include reading and shopping.